What's Next for San Beda after Nelle's Departure?

Coming into Season 95 of the NCAA, many expected that the San Beda Red Lions would go on to win a majestic 4-peat. After all, they had been unstoppable during the previous three seasons- particularly in Season 94 when they ended the eliminations with a 17-1 record, beating the Perpetual Health Atlas in the Final 4 before sweeping the Lyceum Pirates of CJ Perez in the championship round. Then again, Season 94 Red Lions had Robert Bolick to go toe-to-toe against Perez.

And you know what? They almost had it. The Red Lions, after surprisingly losing Game 1 of the finals last year, had a chance to win Game 3 but failed. In the end, it was their bitter rivals, the Letran Knights, who lifted the trophy with Fran Yu taking home the Finals MVP plum.

It was indeed a disappointing ending for the season that saw the Red Lions finish the eliminations with a perfect 18-0 record and three San Beda players being selected in the Mythical Team. And yes, one of the three players who were included in last year's Mythical Five selection is none other than Evan Nelle. And what was more surprising is the fact that he actually second in the MVP race. 

Evan Nelle, for Season 95, put up impressive numbers in just his second season for the Red Lions, averaging 10 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and close to 2 steals per contest. And for that, many predicted that Nelle will become one of the big stars for San Beda in Season 96 when the Red Lions will try to take back their crown. 

There's one bad news though for the Red Lions: they will have to do so without Evan Nelle. 

In a surprising turn of events, Evan Nelle will no longer don the Red Lion uniform after bidding farewell to school that he called home for 8 years and decided to go back to where his basketball career started off- in Taft Avenue.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Evan Nelle has confirmed that yes, he will be playing for the De La Salle University Green Archers in the UAAP but will have to sit out Season 83 for residency before becoming eligible for Season 84. 

While La Salle will be gaining a guy who can take over from Aljun Melecio, Nelle's departure means that San Beda's guard rotation has grown thinner than it was already. And none only than Coach Boyet Fernandez has admitted that Nelle's decision to leave for Taft Avenue will make it hard for the remaining guards to fill in the big shoes that Nelle will be vacating.

But life goes on and Boyet Fernandez said that he wishes Nelle well in La Salle and that, the multi-titled coach respects the decision of his now-former player.

While there will be a noticeably big hole in San Beda when Season 96 comes around, the Red Lions still have a team that can compete for the title anew. They will still have Calvin Oftana- the reigning MVP and the first Red Lion to win the award since 2010. The Red Lions will have James Canlas back. Canlas, like Nelle, finished behind Oftana in the MVP race and completed the San Beda trio in last year's Mythical Five team.

In other words, the Red Lions will continue to roar and bite even without Evan Nelle because as painful as the Finals defeat last year was, that defeat will only make them better as a team because one has to remember: both Oftana and Canlas were first-timers in the Finals last year and even Boyet Fernandez admitted to the fact that inexperience and youth were possible factors that led to their downfall.

In short, expect the kings of the NCAA jungle to be competing for the championship again. 

Photo is from inquirer.net